Winding machine

ABSTRACT

A winding machine for the rapid winding of synthetic threads or yarns onto a winding spool including chuck means to receive and hold the winding spool, said chuck means being carried on the machine frame on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, preferably on a cantilevered tubular-shaped support member, this chuck means being resiliently supported on a pair of antifriction bearings, with inter-position of rubber elements, and also including means to apply torque to said chuck means to carry out the thread winding operation. Such means for applying torque may include a contact roller in frictional engagement with the winding spool and/or a suitable brake and/or drive mechanism which is operatively connected with a driven shaft joined for rotation with the chuck, preferably through a pair of universaltype coupling elements spaced axially on the driven shaft with a torsion resistant shaft segment therebetween.

' United States Patent 1191 Lenk [ NOV. 4, 1975 WINDING MACHINE [75] Inventor: Erich Lenk, Remscheid, Germany [73] Assignee: Barmag Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft, Wuppertal, Germany 22 Filed: Dec.14, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 424,740

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 16, 1972 Germany 7246053[U] Dec. 16, 1972 Germany 2261709 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1962 Kinney 242/18 DD 1 1/1966 Muller 242/18 R X 8/1967 Crouzet.... 242/18 R 5/1974 Miller 242/46.4

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Johnston Keil Thompson & Shurtleff [57] ABSTRACT A winding machine for the rapid winding of synthetic threads or yarns onto a winding spool including chuck means to receive and hold the winding spool, said chuck means being carried on the machine frame on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, preferably on a cantilevered tubular-shaped support member, this chuck means being resiliently supported on a pair of anti-friction bearings, with inter-position of rubber elements, and also including means to apply torque to said chuck means to carry out the thread winding operation. Such means for applying torque may include a contact roller in frictional engagement with the winding spool and/or a suitable brake and/or drive mechanism which is operatively connected with a driven shaft joined for rotation" with the chuck, preferably through a pair of universal-type coupling elements spaced axially on the driven shaft with a torsion resistant shaft segment therebetween.

14 Claims, 6. Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov; 4, 1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,917,182

FIG. I

U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet2of2 3,917,182

FIG.IA

WINDING MACHINE In the production of synthetic threads, yarns or the like, winding machines are used for winding up and collecting the freshly spun and/or freshly stretched threads or yarns. Texturized threads or yarns, e.g. after being false-twisted and heat-set or after any crimping operation, is also taken up on a winding machine to provide a so-called producer yarn. The productivity of the associated spinning, stretching and/or texturizing apparatus depends largely upon the winding speed which can be achieved with the winding machine. Of course, when increasing the spinning, stretching or texturizing speeds, even with continuous threads, limitations are placed upon these speeds through the relationship of the textile properties of the produced continuous filaments or threads. Taking into consideration this relationship, thread speeds are being achieved today of more than 1,500 m/min. and, especially in continuously operated spin-stretching apparatus and rapid spinning apparatus, thread speeds of more than 5,000 m/min. are capable of being used. With a conventional spool winding tube diameter, for example of 58 mm., a rotating speed of the chuck of 27,500 rpm is required at the beginning of the winding operation. Since the continuous thread must be conducted at constant speed, the rotational speed at a spool winding diameter of 260 mm. amounts to 6,100 rpm toward the end of the winding run. With a constant linear thread speed of 2,000 m/min., the range of the rotational speed extends from 1,100 rpm at the beginning of the winding run up to 2,450 rpm toward the end of the winding run.

It is apparent that problems arise in mounting and operating the chuck due to the high rate of rotational speed together with the wide range of rotational speeds observed during a winding run, especially under those circumstances in which the chuck is mounted in a cantilevered position. This cantilevered mounting is of advantage for servicing the winding devices and for making it easier to insert e'mpty spool tubes and to remove fully wound spools. A special problem has arisen in that the chuck must be mounted in such a manner that the critical speed of rotation of the chuck does not occur in the course of the winding run. The critical speed of rotation is defined as that rotation at which there occurs an undamped vibration of the shaft (see for example, Dubbels Taschenbuch for the Maschinenbau, 12th Edition, Volume 1, Page 268). The operation of the chuck at its critical speed of rotation leads to very strong vibrations which can cause the destruction or failure of the chuck or other machine parts. Also, it is difficult to avoid the critical speed of rotation in such a chuck because this critical speed decreases as the spool becomes larger in the course of the winding run. This decrease can be illustrated by the ideal formula:

mounting so rigidly that the critical speed of rotation lies above the operational speed. This solution to the problem is feasible from a structural view point only up to a certain maximum operational speed. It has the disadvantage that the design of the chuck and its mounting usually limits the operational speed range of the winding device and therewith its useful application in rapid winding processes. Another possibility for avoiding damage caused by the critical speed of rotation consists in mounting the chuck so resiliently that the critical speed of rotation always lies below the range of normal operating speeds and by starting and braking the chuck very rapidly. Such resilient mounting has already been used with vertically positioned spindles (German Pat. No. 1,028,025). No special problem arises in this case, because these vertical spindles operating at a constant high speed are not subjected to any important transverse forces. Therefore, the spindles set themselves up under their own centrifugal or gyrostatic effect and can be easily balanced or centered.

A much more serious problem arises with chucks mounted on a horizontal axis of rotation, especially on a cantilevered support or mount. Such horizontal chucks are placed not only under dynamic loads, but also under considerable static loads which are directed transversely to the axis of rotation of the chuck. A dynamic load results from unavoidable imbalances and lack of roundness of the winding spool and the thread winding thereon. This causes inter alia a non-uniform pressure and non-uniform slippage of a contact roller on the spool winding. The static load results particularly from the total weight of the spool tube and winding. The weight of the spool winding increases in the course of the winding run from an initial value or tare weight of zero. In a typical commercial winding machine using a spool tube with an outer diameter of 58 mm, the diameter of the wound spool at the end of the winding run is 360 mm., its length is 260 mm. and its weight is approximately 26 kg. It is inevitable that under such loads the chuck deviates considerably from its designated axial position.

Contact rollers are often employed to run in frictional contact on the spools as they are being wound, for example, in order to maintain a constant linear speed of the threads being wound, i.e., so that the circumferential speed of the spool is adjusted over the course of the winding run to maintain a constant linear thread speed. This function is carried'out either by a drive roller or a measuring roller. Drive rollers are operated for example, by a synchronous motor with constant speed and transmit the turning moment or torque necessary for winding the thread directly to the chuck and its shaft through the spool winding by means of frictional contact with this winding. Measuring rollers are essentially contact rollers which act to measure the circumferential velocity of the spool at any given moment, whereby the measured value is used to control the speed of an axial drive motor on the driven shaft of the chuck. The contact roller as a drive rollermust be applied under a considerable pressure directed transversely of the chuck, so as to transmit the necessary acceleration and torque for the winding of the thread and contact roller lies more heavily on one end than the other. In this manner, extensive slippage eventually arises between the contact roller and the spool, thereby leading to a falsification of speed measurements and/or a non-uniform power transmission. The danger also exists with positive drive rollers that the spool winding consisting of highly sensitive synthetic polymer threads becomes damaged by such one-sided contact of the drive roller through pressure, squeezing, abrading and heating effects. Finally, the danger exists that the resiliently supported chuck, which may become positioned in an eccentric position under the influence of transverse forces, undergoes a precession movement on its supporting member.

A chuck has become known from US. Pat. No. 3,593,932 in which the chuck can be pivoted to a certain extent around a horizontal axis situated perpendicularly to the chuck axis. The swinging or pivotal movement is damped and limited by suitable elements. This device is supposed to guarantee application of the drive roller with uniform pressure on the spool. However, this patent is not concerned with a resilient bearing support in the above-described sense, since only a prescribed movement in a vertical plane is permitted and then damped. Therefore, this device provides no teaching directed toward the avoidance of critical speeds of rotation.

Another chuck, as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,593,934, has become known in which an outer jacket or mantle is supported on an inner simultaneous rotating part of the chuck by means of resilient, elastic and damping O-rings. With this kind of support, one also cannot substantially reduce the critical speed of rotation, because the vibrations of all parts of the chuck are superimposed and therefore the vibration of the rigidly supported part retains a very substantial influence.

One object of the present invention is to provide a rapid winding machine with chuck means including a shaft mounted on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, preferably in a cantilevered position on a supporting machine frame such that the critical speed of rotation of the chuck means, both with and without the as sociated spool tube and spool winding, lies distinctly lower than the operational or normal winding speeds of rotation. Also, this object is to be achieved whether torque is applied to the chuck means through a contact roller drive, an axial drive and/or axial braking means. It is a further object of the invention to provide a special driven shaft for the chuck which ensures transmission of torque from suitable drive means while maintaining a relatively flexible bending moment of the driven shaft, preferably a bending moment about the center of gravity of the chuck means and its static load.

The present invention essentially accomplishes such objects in a winding machine for the rapid winding of synthetic threads or the like which includes a machine frame adapted to receive a winding spool about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, rotatable chuck means for holding the winding spool including a shaft connected thereto for rotation therewith on the horizontal axis, anti-friction bearings for supporting the rotatable chuck means on the machine frame, these bearings being resiliently mounted by rubber elements, and means to apply torque to the rotatable chuck means to carry out a thread winding operation.

The chuck used in the invention is preferably hollow so as to provide an outer cylindrical spool-holding chuck sleeve connected over a hub at the outer or out board end to the shaft which extends within the cantilevered tubular-shaped mounting member of the ma chine frame, both the outer chuck sleeve and the inner shaft being carried resiliently by the anti-friction bearings on the tubular-shaped mounting member.

A contact roller may be applied either as a drive means applying a positive torque to the chuck means through the spool winding or as a measuring means where it is driven by the spool winding. In some instances it is preferable to apply a drive means and/ora braking to a driven end of the shaft joined to the chuck. It is especially preferred to employ such a driven shaft with its inner or inboard driven end journaled in antifriction bearings rigidly mounted on the machine frame, the driven shaft having an elongated torsionresistant segment interconnected between its inner driven end and the remaining chuck means by two axially spaced universal-type coupling elements or flexible torque coupling elements which permit transmission of torque while being substantially more flexible to bend ing moments placed on the driven shaft.

These and other preferred embodiments and combinations of the invention are described more fully hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional and schematic view of one embodiment of the winding machine of the invention equipped with a contact roller;

FIG. 1A is a similar partly cross-sectional and schematic illustration of a winding machine equipped with an axial drive and braking means, constmcted as an es-.

pecially preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a preferred elastomeric or rubber element for .resiliently mounting anti-friction bearings around the chuck shaft in an embodiment of the invention similar to FIG. I

l; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 each illustrate in perspective a portion of the chuck shaft which contains a particular torque coupling element suitable for purposes of the invention.

The term .thread as employed herein refers to a monofilament as well as filament bundles, tows, yarns and the like as are commonly taken up on winding machines in the textile art. The terms spool and spool winding may be used interchangeably to denote both the spool tube and the package of thread wound thereon. Similar parts are designated by similar refer-:

ence numerals in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring first to FIG- 1, the winding machine frame 1 has a hollow tubular-shaped supporting member 2 rigidly mounted horizontally thereon in a cantilevered fixed position on the face side of the machine, for example by means of the supporting brackets 3 and tightening screws 4. It will be understood that in commercial use a single frame 1 can serve to hold a large number of winding units so that each winding position is determined by the cantilevered support member 2.

A sleeve core or spool tube 5 which carries the wound thread package 6 makes up the spool or spool winding held or clamped on a chuck means 7 which 1 consists essentially of the outer clamping sleeve or cylindrical mantel 8, the hub 9 and the inner shaft 10 as interconnected parts forming a hollow chuck with an elongatd central shaft. The shaft 10 is journaled within the tubular support member 2 by means of a pair of anti-friction bearings 11 and 12 which in turn are resiliently mounted or braced on the inside of the support member 2 by means of the rubber elements 13 and 14, respectively. Spacer sleeves such as 15 may be used to position these resiliently mounted bearings along the shaft of the chuck means. The anti-friction bearings 11 and 12 are preferably conventional ball or roller bearings.

The rubber elements 13 and 14 are conventional 0- rings or similar profiled elastomeric elements 13 as illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 2 where the spacer sleeve 15' for the bearing is slipped over a smaller diameter section of the shaft 10. These and similar variations in the resilient or yielding mounting of the bearings may be observed in the practice of this invention. For example, while rubber itself gives good results as resilient mounts for the anti-friction bearings, other elastic materials and especially synthetic elastomeric polymer materials may also be advantageously used.

The pair of bearings 11 and 12 are preferably axially fixed by means of the spacer sleeves, rings or the like in positions which are symmetrical to the centerline M with the chuck itself being constructed and positioned so that its center of gravity G also falls on this centerline M. Moreover, the spool tube 5 clamped to the chuck and the spool winding 6 thereon are also preferably formed and located so that their center of gravity coincides with that of the chuck at G. This offersa balanced vibrational pivot point for the resiliently or yieldingly mounted chuck and its spool winding.

The tight clamping of the spool tube 5 onto the chuck sleeve or mantle 8 is accomplished in any conventional manner, e.g. using the construction shown in German (DOS) Pat. No. 2,106,493. It is preferable to employ a chuck clamping sleeve which exerts a light expanding pressure without distortion of the spool tube 5 during high speed rotation. However, the exact construction of this chuck sleeve is not a particular feature of the present invention and may be readily adapted from the known state of the art.

By means of the contact roller 16, rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis of rotation in a conventional manner for movement of said axis in a vertical plane so as to remain in frictional contact on a surface line of the spool, it is possible to measure the circumferential velocity of the spool in known manner and to use this measurement to control the speed of the drive motor 27 such that the circumferential or peripheral velocity of the spool remains constant in being driven by the belt drive means 26 over the driven shafts 19 and connected to chuck shaft 10. Such drive means are conventional in this art for imparting the desired constant thread winding speed to the chuck and spool during the winding operation.

Other drive means may also be adopted with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. For example, the contact roller 16 can also be operated as a drive roller by connecting its drive shaft 16 to a synchronous motor in known manner so that the spool is driven on its outer circumference, with or without the cooperation of an axial drive motor 27. In general, the use of a contact drive roller tends to be limited by a number of disadvantages including a high level of noise, especially at high winding speeds, and also the danger of damage to the thread material caused by too high a contact pressure and the abrading or milling effect on the threads in achieving operational speeds.

The contact or bearing pressure P applied tangetially by the roller 16 onto spool winding 6 is likewise achieved in known manner by any suitable external force applied in the direction of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 1. Only a very light pressure is required where roller 16 is used only as a measuring device whereas much greater pressures are required where it is used as a contact drive roller. Such methods of using the contact roller are too well known to require further explanation here.

The chuck 7 may also be suitably braked by applying pressure P to braking means consisting of the brake drum 17 of the driven shaft section 20 onto which there are applied the brake shoes 18. Such positive braking torque on the driven shaft is especially desirable in permitting a rapid slowing down and stopping of the rotating chuck.

The driven shaft end 20 is joumaled in the anti-friction bearings 21 and 22 which are rigidly and inflexibly supported in the tubular member 2 of the machine frame 1. This rigid support of the inboard end of the driven shaft is highly desirable in the positive transmission of torque, either in rapidly accelerating to operational speeds or in rapidly braking to a stop.

This driven and rigidly supported section 20 of the shaft is connected with the resiliently or yieldingly supported chuck shaft 10 over a pair of universal-type or torque transmitting flexible coupling elements 23 at either end of an intermediate torsion-resistant and inflexible shaft segment 19. These flexible coupling element 23 are shown schematically in FIG. 1 and may be constructed in a variety of ways as illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 so long as they are capable of transmitting torque while being substantially more flexible to bending moments than the driven shaft itself, ie segments 10, 19 and 20.

The bending moments are produced, as noted above, by forces directed transversely to the chuck means including both static forces such as the weight of the chuck and spool winding and also dynamic forces such as imbalances in the chuck and the spool winding or thread package thereon. The universal or torque-transmitting flexible coupling elements guarantee that the chuck does not become loaded under bending of a relatively stiff and non-flexible driven shaft. Consequently, the individual shaft segments 10, 19 and 20 rotate around a more precisely defined linear horizontal axis while avoiding the eccentricity of a curved axis under bending loads. This construction of the driven shaft also has a very favorable influence in setting a definite and relatively low critical speed of rotation of the chuck and spool winding.

One embodiment of the coupling elements 23 is illustrated by the universal joint commonly referred to as a gimbal joint as shown in FIG. 3. However, it is not necessary to provide a flexible coupling element which is in the ideal form of an ideal universal joint with complete resilience or flexibility toward bending. Instead, it is sufficient to provide some minimum bending flexibility. Thus, a first approximation of the universal-type joint with the required coupling characteristics is achieved by a local reduction of the shaft diameter, e.g. with not more than a one-third or one-half reduction of diameter. At the same time, it is desirable to maintain good torque-transmitting characteristics. This is achieved in the coupling element 23' of FIG. 4 by means of two adjoining plate-shaped constrictions 24 and 25 formed in the shaft to extend radially at an angle of with respect to each other;

An especially preferred coupling element 23" is illustrated in FIG. 5 as beingformed by a spiral recess 28 in the shaft, eg with a rectangular cross-section so that good torque transmission and stiffness is retained through the retained helical or spiral lands 29 of the full diameter of the shaft 10a and a while a good bending flexibility is also achieved where the recessed portion or screw channel 28 provides a very substantial reduction in the shaft diameter. In essence, the coupling element 23" combines a relatively flexible core shaft 28 with a superimposed torque-transmitting shaft 29 in an integral driven shaft structure.

The especially preferred winding machine of the invention according to FIG. 1A also includes a frame or housing 1a to which there is rigidly connected the tubular support member 2a and on which the right-hand pair of anti-friction bearings 21a and 22a are rigidly mounted on any suitable bracing members 30 and 31 (shown schematically without tightening screws and similar fastening parts). The driven shaft 20a is journaled in these rigid or nonflexible bearings 21a and 22a so as to be rotated about a fixed horizontal axis by the axial drive means consisting of the motor 32 and drive gears 33 and 34, the latter being fixed on the shaft section 20a. At the same time, the driven shaft 20a is advantageously braked by engagement of the bevel wheel assembly and 36, the bevel wheel 35 being fastened to the free end of shaft 20a. This arrangement guarantees that the bevel wheel 35 can be brought into frictional engagement with the braking drum 36 which is also rigidly supported and which is axially movable under the braking force or pressure P as indicated by the arrow. The driven shaft 20a and its bevel wheel 35 are rigidly positioned both axially and radially on the supporting bearings 21a and 22a so that there is no precession movement of the shaft 20a or bevel wheel 35 and one can very precisely adjust the required braking force P This construction of the rigidly supported shaft 20a with the closed gear linkage 33 and 34 driven by motor 32 as well as braking means 35 and 36 ensures that the driving or braking torque cannot be influenced by movements of the chuck means 7, provided that the driven shaft 20a is connected to the chuck shaft 10a through flexible torque-transmitting coupling elements as described above. These essential torque-coupling elements which are more flexible to bending than the driven shaft itself may thus be in the form of a true universal or gimbal joint but are preferably in the screwthreaded form of element 23" as shown in FIG. 5, eg where shaft 10a connects to shaft 20a as an integral spirally recessed member.

The chuck means 7 is mounted differently in the winding machine of FIG. 1A, where one shaft segment has been omitted and the chuck shaft 10a becomes the intermediate shaft segment which is inflexible and torsion-stiff initself but is flexibly supported by means of the symetrically positioned anti-friction bearings 11a and 120 with the interposed rubber mounting elements 130 and 140. Also, this shaft segment 10a is connected through the left-hand flexible torque-transmitting coupling element 23"a directly to the hub 9 forming the closed end of the chuck 7 completed by the clamping sleeve 8.

The embodiment of FIG. 1A also differs in that the chuck sleeve 8 is supported directly by the resiliently mounted bearings 11a and 12a on the fixed cantilevered tubular support 2, i.e. so that the bearings are resiliently mounted in fixed positions on the outer surface of the tubular support 2 and the shaft 10a extends free 8 of contact in an inner concentric position back through the tubular support 2. This results in a somewhat higher wear on the ballor roller bearings as compared to the arrangement of the resiliently mounted bearings of FIG. 1, but the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1A has the advantage that no bending moment of any significance is caused by radial shifting or displacement of the chuck and its spool winding. The chuck and spool winding generally maintain a parallel axial position even under relatively heavy static or dynamic loads.1 The embodiment of FIG. 1A is therefore also useful with a contact roller as a drive roller. or as a speed measuring device.

Other than the rearrangement of the flexibly coupled shaft and the resiliently supported bearings on the tubular support carrying the chuck sleeve, the embodiment of FIG. 1A adheres to the preferred structural features of the chuck means discussed with reference to FIG. 1. Thus, bearings 11a and 12a are again prefer-.

ably positioned in a symmetrical position with reference to the center of gravity G of the chuck and its spool winding.

Another primary advantage of the embodiment of FIG. 1A resides in the fact that both the drive torque and the braking torque can be applied directly to the end segment 20a of the driven shaft so as to avoid any transmission of such torque through the chuck 7 and its spool winding which can otherwise lead to such bending moments and a forceful chuck braking accompa nied by shaft twisting as to destroy the chuck. The flexible coupling of shaft segment 10a with the chuck hub 9 y at the outboard end and with the rigidly supported shaft segment 20a at the inboard end completely avoids a su perimposition of torque and bending loads. This partic- The winding machine with the chuck of the invention combines the advantageous features of a cantilevered chuck support with the technical characteristics of a two-sided shaft bearing. Thus, the chuck can be displaced under the weight of the spool winding and also under the pressure of a contact roller while being selfaligning in the sense that the chuck axis remains parallel to the contact roller or to its initial unloaded horizontal axis of rotation. Any bending of the cantilevered tubular support, which tends to be minimal, is fully compensated by an opposite pivoting movement of the chuck sleeve or mantel. With a resilient bearing sup: port inside the cantilevered support member, relative speeds through the bearings are maintained sufficiently low so that their useful life is prolonged. In either alternative resilient mounting of the pair of bearings, i.e. inside or outside the tubular support member, their symmetrical position with reference to the center of gravity of the chuck and its spool winding guarantees a resiliency and self-balancing of both static and dynamic loads.

The winding machine of the invention is operated in a conventional manner where the critical speed of rota- 9 tion is substantially below normal winding speeds, i.e. by rapidly accelerating or braking the chuck means over this definite critical speed of rotation. A further advantage of the invention resides in the fact that this critical speed or rotation may be designed for practically any speed below the normal winding speeds and can be easily varied in any given case through suitable changes in the resiliency of the rubber mounting elements and/or the flexible torque-transmitting coupling elements. Finally, there is practically no danger of destruction of the chuck or its driven shafts even when operating at very high winding speeds of 5,000 m/min. or more. This danger is also avoided during acceleration to or deceleration from such high speeds. Accordingly, the winding machine of the invention is quite versatile and can be widely used in all textile operations.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a winding machine for the high speed winding of synthetic threads which comprises:

a machine frame having a rigid, cantilevered tubularshaped mounting member defining a substantially horizontal axis of rotation for a winding spool;

chuck means including a chuck sleeve rotatably mounted concentrically around said mounting member to hold said winding spool;

anti-friction bearings for supporting said rotatable chuck means on said tubular-shaped mounting member said bearings being resiliently mounted by rubber elements; rotatably driven shaft connected to said chuck means for rotation therewith on said horizontal axis and extending within said tubular-shaped mounting member, the inner end of said shaft being joumaled in anti-friction bearings rigidly mounted on the machine frame, and said driven shaft having an elongated torsion-resistant segment interconnected between its inner end and said chuck means by two axially spaced universal-type coupling elements which permit transmission of torque while being flexible to bending moments placed on the driven shaft; and

means to apply driving or braking torque to said driven shaft in carrying out a thread winding operation.

2. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said driven shaft extends concentrically within said tubular-shaped mounting member and is connected over a hub at its outer end to the spool-holding chuck sleeve.

3. A winding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the driven shaft is rigidly connected to said chuck sleeve through said hub and the outer end of said 10 driven shaft is supported on said resiliently mounted bearings.

4. A winding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the driven shaft is connected at its outermost end by one of said universal-type coupling elements to said hub and the connected chuck sleeve is supported on said resiliently mounted bearings.

5. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of said resiliently mounted bearings are located symmetrically to the center of gravity of said chuck means along said tubular-shaped mounting member.

6. A winding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bearings are located on the inside of the tubularshaped mounting member to resiliently carry said shaft.

7. A winding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bearings are located on the outside of the tubularshaped mounting member to resiliently carry said chuck sleeve.

8. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes a contact roller drive for direct application to the winding spool in the thread winding operation and braking means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft.

9. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes drive means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft.

10. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes a contact roller for direct application to the winding spool in the thread winding operation and drive means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft.

11. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes drive means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft to provide a winding torque and separate brake means also applied to the driven end of said drive shaft to stop the winding operation.

12. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal-type coupling elements are each formed by two adjoining plate-shaped constructions of the shaft extending radially at with respect to each other.

13. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal type coupling elements are each gimbal joints.

14. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal-type coupling elements are each formed by spiral recesses in the shaft. 

1. In a winding machine for the high speed winding of synthetic threads which comprises: a machine frame having a rigid, cantilevered tubular-shaped mounting member defining a substantially horizontal axis of rotation for a winding spool; chuck means including a chuck sleeve rotatably mounted concentrically around said mounting member to hold said winding spool; anti-friction bearings for supporting said rotatable chuck means on said tubular-shaped mounting member said bearings being resiliently mounted by rubber elements; a rotatably driven shaft connected to said chuck means for rotation therewith on said horizontal axis and extending within said tubular-shaped mounting member, the inner end of said shaft being journaled in anti-friction bearings rigidly mounted on the machine frame, and said driven shaft having an elongated torsion-resistant segment interconnected between its inner end and said chuck means by two axially spaced universal-type coupling elements which permit transmission of torque while being flexible to bending moments placed on the driven shaft; and means to apply driving or braking torque to said driven shaft in carrying out a thread winding operation.
 2. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said driven shaft extends concentrically within said tubular-shaped mounting member and is connected over a hub at its outer end to the spool-holding chuck sleeve.
 3. A winding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the driven shaft is rigidly connected to said chuck sleeve through said hub and the outer end of said driven shaft is supported on said resiliently mounted bearings.
 4. A winding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the driven shaft is connected at its outermost end by one of said universal-type coupling elements to said hub and the connected chuck sleeve is supported on said resiliently mounted bearings.
 5. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of said resiliently mounted bearings are located symmetrically to the center of gravity of said chuck means along said tubular-shaped mounting member.
 6. A winding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bearings are located on the inside of the tubular-shaped mounting member to resiliently carry said shaft.
 7. A winding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bearings are located on the outside of the tubular-shaped mounting member to resiliently carry said chuck sleeve.
 8. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes a contact roller drive for direct application to the winding spool in the thread winding operation and braking means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft.
 9. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes drive means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft.
 10. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes a contact roller for direct application to the winding spool in the thread winding operation and drive means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft.
 11. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to apply torque to said chuck means essentially includes drive means applied to the inner end of said drive shaft to provide a winding torque and separate brake means also applied to the driven end of said drive shaft to stop the winding operation.
 12. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal-type coupling elements are each formed by two adjoining plate-shaped constructions of the shaft extending radially at 90* with respect to each other.
 13. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal type coupling elements are each gimbal joints.
 14. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal-type coupling elements are each formed by spiral recesses in the shaft. 